Rhinebeck

I have been so bad about posting personal stuff because I started another blog. Take a peek and let me know what you think.
Anyway, I went to Rhinebeck to the Sheep & Wool festival a few weekends ago. We stayed in Woodstock with our friends at their home tucked away in the woods. It was a spectacular weekend with beautiful fall foliage. The dads took the kids at the festival for kid fun, while Alison and I walked around and petted wool. I showed amazing restraint and only came home with soap. I don't need any more fiber in my home. In fact, I probably have a few years of knitting to get through the fiber I already have. I just inherited some wool from a woman who was cleaning out the house of a departed woman. She truly had a stash beyond life expectancy. Actually what I saw, which was supposedly about 1/3 of the amount was mind blowing.

At the end of the festival my friends (who were already in the market) caved in and bought a beautiful silk angora bunny rabbit. I've always kind of wanted a bunny to spin from, but didn't want to bring yet another pet home. My friend doesn't spin, so maybe we can trade some fur for some spun angora. How fun! The bunny's name is Caramel.

When in doubt, spin

Since finishing the shawl in VLT, I have had a hard time starting a new project. I made a little hat for Zach, but I can't say it was a success, so it's going to the frog pond.

During this phase of floundering, I have been doing some spinning. Nothing like the simple act of spinning to soothe the soul. This skein is 80% merino and 20% mohair. There's just enough mohair to have a beautiful sheen, and take the dye beautifully. The merino keeps it soft. The color is beautifully gradated shades of dark blue. It wasn't until I plyed and tied the skein that I noticed the color choice being similar to my blog colors. Funny how that works without one realizing it.

I am now spinning some yak fiber I got at Rhinebeck. It's unbelievably soft. Makes you just want to roll around in the roving. The fibers are extremely short, so it lends itself to a fine highly spun yarn. Ruth if you are reading this....this might be harder than the cormo.

Merino

These are actually 3 mini skeins of superwash merino wool. Originally I was going to use them for trim on a white sweater I knit for my kiddo, but they bleed a bit when washed. The pattern had cute embroidered dots all over. I tried that and it started to look like a kindergarten project, so I cut my losses. That sweater actually has a bunch of silly problems that I'm trying to sort out. The sweater itself is nice (photos to come), but the sleeves are too short. Usually I find that kid's sweater patterns are designed for small primates, with ridiculously long arms. I was surprised to have the opposite problem.

I think that these mini skeins would make a nice stranded hat mixed with another yarn. Kind of along the lines of this hat at Brooklyn Tweed.